#hbo war headcanon

[beachszn]

ronald speirs • black and white

[balladofthe101st]

it's so fucking funny to me that speirs couldn't keep his mouth shut about lipton's battlefield commission. like??? oh, you're not going to be first sergeant much longer, no, sir. btw, winters put you in for a battlefield commission. fyi, sink approved the recommendation on your behalf. just so you know, you're getting the official notice in a few days. anyway, congrats, lieutenant. speirs is so hilarious! please! he wanted to be the one to tell lip and tell lip everything

[barbeygirl]

My useless Bucky HC’s

Either sleeps like he’s straight passed out every night or like a dramatically dying victorian child

Tries to give people nicknames, like he did to Buck. Sometimes they stick, sometimes not. It’s his love language.

Has a certain attention requirement. He’ll get restless if it isn’t met. Usually taken out on Buck or some other poor person

Is banned from two pubs in London. It’s not his fault but it also very much is

Avoids a third one because there’s too many ladies that know him… and don’t exactly like him

They’ve bonded over hating him. Bucky has his own little hater club

Loves music. Tries to get people to sing, especially when intoxicated, but usually gets too excited and takes over mid song.

Has a really bad habit of vanishing when drunk. His call to adventure is too strong. But everyone knows he’ll turn up at some point so they’re not worried.

Once he steps out of the pub, you’ll have no idea what he’ll get himself into. Anything is a possibility.

He could tell you he tried breaking and entering the Buckingham Palace last night, and you’d reluctantly believe him.

He’s rummaged most of London like this. The stories are crazy. Gets into trouble and strange occurances that only he could. He’s sort of a legend for it amongst the pilots.

But he has the best orienteering skills and will return once he’s done. Sometimes battered up and sometimes carrying whatever he’s won from his escapade.

masterlist

[therealslimshakespeare]

🍸 Harry Crosby headcanons

18+ -helluva lot of nsfw under the cut but interspersed with a lotta fluff and domesticity…to me that’s the appeal of this man, cannot be separated one from the other: the unassuming sweater wearing vet at the block party is also a man of hidden depths.

Long promised and woefully incomplete, the word count was getting out of hand so I’m tossing it out, there’s more where this came from. Not edited so, apologies

Entirely co-written by myself and my comrogue @crazymadpassionatelove , enhanced and bedazzled by chats with @ab4eva including special additions from other guests who commented under my announcement post, credit is given at each specific point for their contributions

|screencap cred grabbed from: @hawkinsfuller

First off let me say it’s been ages since I read A Wing and A Prayer. I remember loving it, loving him and I cannot stress how much I respect and admire the real Harry Crosby and his Jean, the Missus of our dreams.

This is purely for fun, a heavy mix of both Boyle’s portrayal and a tad of Crosby’s real life vibes as taken from his accounts by me. Sometimes you gotta take historical figures’ virtues in one area -say navigation and math- and translate it to the more suggestive aspects of life -say, how to find a clitori- *gunshot*

Because this man’s biography is the most oral-leaning, drink-your-respect-women-juice book ever. Ok, almost ever. For a wwii book at least. Uhem so -I am prejudiced, sue me.

See, sometimes it’s the quiet, stressed ones with a self consuming desire to please who have the cozy sweaters and the attentive appreciation for your interests and the stubby fat schlongs and the propensity to keep you in suburban comfort all your days

The compulsive drive to call you “button” and be on time for church and thank you for your scrambled eggs each morning with eager kitchen countertop oral before waking you children up with annoyingly soft catchphrases they’ll recite fondly at his funeral: “rise and shine” etc

Also back to the perfectly respectable schlong for just a moment -This is a Thing! Justice for the perfectly adequate plug stoppers, not everyone needs a rolling pin, who can resist giving head when the head is the same gorgeous color as his lips?!

Mr Crosby is skipping off to lecture college kids about literature post-war with a pep in his step that you put there without fail, you can’t help it, it’s as essential as the matching “his and hers” coffee mugs you bought during your honeymoon

Cookies slightly burned cuz you’re busy as bunnies in the bathroom while the kids ride bikes in the cul-de-sac is a Crosby staple

This is a man who as husband keeps you well supplied with mixers and microwaves and cute little nighties and also loves your brain -SCORE.

Loves to gift you with bath oil and fun stuff to smell good. He's into lavender. It benefits him in the end, loves to sit on the edge of the tub and just talk with you for ages

Croz’s go-to distresser is to have Jean sit on his face until his vision spots

She knows as soon as he walks in the door. Fixes him a Shirley Temple, takes him by the hand to the bedroom and …..boom.

De—stressed

As for the ptsd nightmares? He just barely starts to thrash in his sleep and Jean is rolling that man over and taking matters into her own hands

You’re Jean now, you do realize that don’t you? It was never ever going to be anyone but Jean

This man leaves love letters on your pillow, in your apron pocket, in the dash of your car anywhere at all that you’re likely to be. All of this even though he’s gonna be home by six that evening.

Also, hear me out: lots of evenings he just lays down next to you for ages, facing each other on your sides, absentmindedly mapping your body with his calloused palms and fingering you for ages while talking about Persuasion.

Actually gives a shit about your opinions too, and not in the way of wanting to argue them. When you make a good point his eyes get even droopier and he grabs your neck and…

“You're one smart cookie Mrs Crosby”

“My clever, wise, beloved…”

Honestly though, deep connections and the ability to go vulnerable, and if those moments are often concluded with little laughs to shake off the moment -it doesn’t diminish it

Can actually talk about dying to you, not in a morbidly preoccupied way, but he can face it and admit it and be vulnerable enough to acknowledge the likelihood

Then get on with what needs doing

He appreciates how well you grow to know him, and he in turn makes a lifelong study of you

Also, this man is so highly attuned to your well being.

Yes you have to put up with his stress but for you? He will man-up repeatedly and without thought. He doesn’t even think twice about just up and leaving whatever situation is tiring you. did you see him hop up to get the fuck outta that bar fight? Yeah so, you’re bored? Tired? Stressed? It’s not even machismo it’s just a homebody not giving a fuck with the subtext of “my wife and I would like to go home and read and cockwarm”

Often gives the shiftiest excuses to army buddies and coworkers just to go home and hang with you, swears he has to repair that squirrel feeder -or that an alligator is in his swimming pool, “sorry guys maybe drinks next week”

Don’t tell the guys but…HE PAINTS YOUR TOENAILS

Maybe some of your high school friends snickered about Harry Crosby way back when. Making googly eyes at you and barely getting out the most stammered greetings? Bookish and a little clumsy at times?

Ha, you won in the end

He comes home in one piece, that beautiful schlong still intact

you prayed for that ok?

“Lord keep my husband safe -- and his girthy manhood in tact as well” …for the babies you’re hoping for of course...just that… kneeling in silk pajamas each night, adding this addendum with a blush but was always faithful to keep it in your prayers

Sometimes you have that thought in church as well...so you has to take a couple deep breaths and calm yourself...it's because you want children...not because you’re already so sprung off this man's dick after only a couple weeks of married life.

weeks that feels like a lifetime ago now, by the way

Prim and lovely Jean Crosby staring off into stained glass worlds thinking of having her tight little hole tugged open and her guts rearranged, it’s even worse than her thoughts prior to the wedding, because she’s had the experience, then suddenly it was ripped away

And she’s empty and scared to death for him

She gets asked to sing at the funeral of a lieutenant who never even got off the ground during a training flight,

work and church and such are hopeless distractions

Wanders through the department store wondering if every other wife misses this way, does everyone feel the same primal ache?

Dear Jean Crosby terribly worried she’s a freak yet entirely unrepentant for it

But ya know what’s probably funny? Across the ocean Harry Crosby is sometimes so direly missing his wife in the carnal way that he just about spaces out too, and god knows there’s zero privacy anywhere and the showers are the showers but like???? it’s just a no-go most times and everyone gets very confused when he’s in this mood?? Not at all suspecting baser distractions are what’s at play. Somehow someone figured it out, maybe he actually snapped a little about having five seconds to himself while reading a letter and they’re like

OH

And somehow there seems to suddenly be five minutes or so when NO ONE but Crosby is in the showers?!

It only takes him two minutes to get there but he needs to stand there catching his breath and clutching at his heart while he thinks of Jean sprawled beneath him

This is probably Douglass’ doing? Because he’s a good dude, he doesn’t underestimate Croz AND he’s a dirty little bastard himself

“Fellas, the man got himself a wife while half of you guys are virgins? Of course he has urges?”

In a quiet, rare moment, Gale bends his ear -Harry is so modest and low key...unlike some folks *looking at you Bucky*- “So, uh, where'd ya say you and the missus went off to before ya came here?“

Gale’s gotta casually open the door for this conversation “Lots of good sights to see? I, um, haven't done much traveling myself”

It takes Croz a few conversations until he realizes just what Gale means, until then there’s a lot bewildered eyebrows at the inquiry and bashful appreciation for the interest: “Major Cleven I-I already told you, sir, we had a little cabin in the Alleghenies for a week?“

He's been telling Jean about Major Gale Cleven, about how she'd really like him. Gale is a good fella. He tells her about all their "travel talk"

Until one day Jean writes back: “Oh honey, that Cleven of yours is a virgin”

Whether Harry divulges to Gale anything he learned about ladies in that little cabin in the mountains writhing before a fire on a bearskin rug, that first time Harry actually didn’t stop and ask if Jean was dying every time she made a noise but instead, kept going until her cried properly built and she screamed…

well, it was probably an abbreviated account that mostly consisted of “wives are just wonderful people, Major Cleven” with a far off look in his eyes

Gale leaves him to it after all- Harry was married for like 3 seconds before he left, It's literally either playback of the last horrific mission or thinking of the curve of her spine

He gets the dreamiest look on his face, eyes all shiny, mouth a little slack

Somehow these two can be so passionate and yet it’s so wholesome and good and angelic?!!! It’s the allure of them

Because it’s all in these gentle and safe and good boundaries? Like it isn’t complicated and yet it’s not simple and it’s neither settling nor is it turbulent. something to be said for “doing it right”

They genuinely thank God for each other, they’re so sure it was always intended to be just them

I have 1k of headcanons just for the homecoming ok? Y’all will have to request those separate

But once home:

The eye contact they make at social events?? It’s a whole language, the most loving and adorable thing ever

He may not be a real gem of a singer but he’s an excellent hummer. so much gentle humming around the house while he’s fixing the stove light or rocking a baby to sleep or-

You know what I mean don’t you? Some men can just humm and you’re instantly wet? No I don’t mean humming a Billie Holliday tune

I mean humming when you make a new reaction to his incessant fingering while he’s reading, makes him look away from the page and arch a brow, highly inquisitive puppy dog look on his face, reading glasses pulled down.

*a new spot? After all this time? Must investigate further*

This man, when in his element, is a goddamn tease, he’s impossible, he’s goofy, he makes sex the joyous sacrament its supposed to be every damn time and he ain’t shy to remain stark naked for ages

Praise kink for miles in that, once you’ve praised him, he will keep doing whatever earned it for the next two hours. Brace yourself

He can recite your favorite literature passages (he knows them and took pains to memorize them by your tenth anniversary) when he’s gently plowing you from the back with his hand on your neck and your ear lob in between his teeth

He’s a biter my friends -gotta keep quiet somehow, can’t scar the passel of children y’all made, after all

So many excuses given to kids about “mama and I need to talk about the mortgage” -very rarely is mortgage even thought of once the door is closed and locked

But that brings us back to the early days, it’s one thing to know someone so well after all those years but the early days?

Two Virgins named Jean and Harry went straight from the chapel to fucking like Bunnies before he went to war

Harry had done his research tho. All that reading…

Harry Crosby totally ate his wife out on their wedding night.

even though he’d never really seen a full vagina before

he’s a bit methodical, yeah? At first? with a hint of overly flustered and terribly delighted

So I’m just picturing him like hunkering down there, tentative but firm hands on your thighs: “to get my bearings, honey pie” as he takes in the lay of the land

because there’s a lot happening down there on a lady, ok? -there’s petals and more petals and slippery slopes and little buttons and a tiny hole that has to be for pee, no way he’s supposed to go in that one?! but, but she doesn’t have another? Well the backdoo- no can’t even think of that. Oh god ok, ok, vaginal opening, -I guess that’s a vaginal opening?! and due north, a little button that makes her squeak when I touch it. ok ok, might as well start there…

I can see him with a metaphorical pencil behind his ear, ready to jot down notes

Jeanie finally sighs and grips him by the ears and hauls him up for a kiss and just grinds against him and insists it’s lovely

“just kiss me, silly.” she says to him after awhile.

“Mmm, I do like kissing you, Jean” he grins back

he’s naturally kissing his way to her boobs and staying there a lovely long time but she starts pushing at his dark head, *hint hint* lower down her belly and lower, and lower and he’s so caught up he doesn’t even realize it until there’s a sweet little patch of curls under his chin and he looks up with the oddest expression of curiosity and doubt on his face only to be met with Jean’s expectant eyebrow

She wouldn’t want me to?—-*ah, she just face planted me in pussy, ok then*

Lapping at it with the biggest grin, there may or may not have been some noise complaints

the whole apartment complex just knows he’s a good husband, never would peg him as a stud if you met him in the hallway but, Jean sure takes forever to say goodbye to him in the mornings so he must do something right

All the neighbors just can't help but be happy for those two kids

They cook them food and leave the casserole dishes on the landing so they can savor each other for as long as possible before he leaves

Next Sunday they show up at church like dutiful little Americans and they’ve got hickies everywhere and his cheeks are a permanent pink, Her knees are red and raw under her church dress

I feel like maybe they get a little adventurous as their time together draws to a close? Maybe they break a dining room chair? She's too mortified to put it out on the curb

*saves it for 50 years*

Some of those wedding china ends up in pieces on the floor. Can't explain to her aunts why they don't have a full set all of a sudden

i really hope he never loses that occasional hair trigger premature ejaculation tendency.

Sometimes it even shocks him, “O-Oh...shoot”

The last day together is a dismal and precious night

The poor man probably laid there on her sweaty boobs after blowing his last load with the saddest *fml* face on as he processed it being, indeed, his last

But HOMECOMING!

and now the war is over they can set up house and make babies

A small breeding kink, after all, these men marched home from war and basically were told "get a job and let's repopulate for all the boys we lost!"

It’s so damn primal when you think about it but under the veneer of the starched and polished 50’s

Croz can't think straight in that tight little hole, let alone think of the ramifications of another baby

“Give it to me, give me another, come on Harry, we've got an empty space in the Christmas card anyway, think of it!! fill me up baby oh godddd Jesus bless your pretty dick-*

it’s the most mundane reasons and he still busts a nut like she’s some filthy vixen and not his sweet and slightly too optimistic wife

frantic love making with a sweater and socks still on, too

Jean is a writher because the longer they are married the longer he lasts and soon she’s come and he just keeps going and she cannot keep quiet then and he’s too big to ignore or calm down between, just thick enough to always be tugging just right and she fully sobs from it sometimes

Often she’s trying to cup herself?!? Fully spasming and shaking and curling in but his strong forearm is over her belly and his lips on her ear

This man is a god at spooning sex

she is so cock feral when she falls pregnant it almost alarms him

The books didn't say anything about this?! He's exhausted and dehydrated and his classes are suffering as a result

Wants to ask Egan if he encountered this phenomenon

His war buddies become a new father support group

"Hang in there pal, only three more months"

They’ll be in the kitchen just chatting before dinner, she wants to tease him. Scoops a little cherry pie filling onto her finger. He licks it and sucks it off -- bites the finger too, in the background dogs are barking and kids are running amuck

As the Crosbys you’re in for a life of very benign but nauseatingly idyllic Christmas parties.

Snow globes, y’all

Sweaters, spiked eggnog and very well thought out gifts

Harry is the sort to carry Jean's purse when they are out shopping and she is trying on clothes. He also has no problem going and buying her sanitary napkins at the drugstore when she's on her period, because it's completely normal and there's nothing for anyone to be embarrassed about. Basically, he is just stupidly in love with her. He's like a puppy who will always follow, but she doesn't take advantage of that fact (credit to:@noneedtoamputate)

He is Harry “Have You Met My Wife?” Crosby back home, too, it’s even worse when he gets tipsy and his confidence grows and good luck shutting him up about how beautiful she is

This is the sorta man whose kids only learn Daddy was a goddamn boss during the war when they’re outta college, a very casual “oh yeah, that was sort of a thing, pass the salt.”

It’s canon this man cut his own son’s hair all his little life, propped him up on a little stool in the back yard and got to trimming -some of the only times the boy ever heard of those devastating missions

Imagine? Same man who used to take you out on the porch into the night air and rock against his sweater when you were a baby and wouldn’t settle is the same man who bombed the hell outta Fortress Europe

He’s the kind of man whose kids are so enamored over how both sides of the coin could settle in the same man, they end up making a documentary about him

Now I also need you to think of this man at bath time in the early 50’s -Shirt sleeves rolled up, top two buttons on his pristine white button up shirt popped with a peak of chest hair showing through, his curls getting steamed by his kids bubble baths

He’s got the prettiest slightly hairy forearms, y’all -according to Jean at least

Gives himself a bubble beard to make his kids laugh, will stay on his knees watching them play for ages, fully participating

His white shirt gets fully transparent with all this splashing and Jean has to really keep her mind on what’s next when she can so easily see his hair and pretty little nipples pebbled in a chill under them. Stops her whining about water on the floor in seconds.

Harry’s already hushing her and mopping it up with a towel anyway

The Crosby kids will have memories of their idiotically in love and enthralled parents who loved being parents, wrapping their baby selves snuggly into towels and setting them on the counter and just cracking up over how cute they looked with their chubby and shiny widdle faces poking out of terry cloth

Jean and Harry spend a lotta time doing that, they just love their kids, ok?

Brushing their cute little Croz curls

Jean can’t say no to a single one with their sad puppy eyes their daddy gave them

Sometimes they sit the kids in front of the fireplace (they obviously needed a house with a fireplace after that honeymoon) and line them up. Talk about them as if they aren't sitting right there. "Honey, look at those gorgeous eyes -- and his smile! Oh my, who do these cuties belong to?"

But it’s not all placid domesticity. Picture this:

Crosby with a mega phone, organizes a neighborhood Easter egg hunt. He's in charge, his aviators on, taking this so seriously

There are maps, he’s planned this for weeks, some of those traits and skills he picked up during the war come back at the oddest times

this gets even more intense if any of the war buddies are there

Harry writes letters to them strategizing, they all come and bring their own kids

It makes the local paper for being one of the biggest Easter egg hunts the state has ever seen

Night falls, children fall asleep and there are still some eggs left. Armed with booze and flashlights, the boys go out to collect the rest

Harry and Jean don't collect any though, they end up in a bush necking somewhere

Bucky gets very adamant about finding them and Brady is just as adamantly begging him not to

But Major Egan cannot be stopped, he rallies his men, hopping on the kids’ bikes and scooters

Everyone heckling each other in the dark suburban neighborhood

"Ya lost your touch Buck, keep up will ya?"

They all end up in a schnapps induced heap in the Crosby's backyard, long limbs all folded up on too small equipment

Jean and Harry leisurely stroll back up the street under lamp glow to their house where everyone is feral and collapsed and calling loudly for their hosts

Sharing soft little smiles and picking twigs out of each others hair

They tuck these idiot men in on the couches and floor, blankets, sleeping bags and dogs

Hear me out: Jean is the only human able to talk a belligerent Bucky out of his thirtieth beer

She has that sweet way about her that makes every person wanna be a better man for her

When he finally gives in and throws his arm over her little shoulders and swears she’s a good woman, Harry is there with the pan and the aspirin and the blanket

She makes them all the most perfect hangover breakfast the next morning, gingham checked apron stretched over swollen belly

Harry nuzzles her belly when she stops at his plate to dish up the eggs

Everyone wants to gag over how perfectly content these two are but that would be a waste of the best breakfast in the USA

And if Jean happens to make the best baked goods on the block - Croz is making sure everyone knows just who’s muffins those are on the bake sale table. Or if she wants to pursue a career or education? Harry is her biggest cheerleader, doing anything and everything to support her and being sure that everyone knows how incredible she is at what she does. (Credit @blurredcolour)

They may be the sweater wearing, block party and Sunday school couple but don’t think anybody gets away with being snide to Mrs. Jean Crosby -there will be comeuppance, even if it’s just an exquisitely literate verbal evisceration.

There's even more often a roaming band of local kids who kick the shins of everyone who's mean to Mrs. Crosby, because she gives them sweets and feeds them when they're hungry and cleans up their scrapes when play gets too rough and -if Mr. Crosby hands out a comic or two to the boys that "accidentally" tripped some bloke who was harassing his wife, well. All is fair in love and war. (Credit to @promptedwordsmith)

When in the summer of 49 the Crosbies get a swimming pool dug? It might as well be considered public property.

not just the kids who are attached to the crosbies, though. your home is a constant revolving door of visitors - including a bunch of ex-servicemen. if it's not bucky lounging in the pool, or rosie painting the fence in his shirtsleeves because he wanted to be helpful, then douglass is smoking a cigarette in the yard while trying to make you laugh. ev is asking harry to show him how to read this goddamn map bc they're supposed to be taking a trip to the grand canyon in a month, and bubbles is over for dinner every other night. even brady sometimes shows his face, if only to carp at harry for getting them lost over france that one time while working the barbecue because you asked him to. when you and harry bought the house with an extra room you weren't sure you would ever use, you didn't expect it to be occupied as often as a popular hotel. if anyone ever had any bad intentions toward the crosbies, they're definitely rethinking it. those that don't...well. being in the air corps teaches one all sorts of creative ways of getting back at people. (Credit to @fidelias)

Imagine all the different skills the Crosby kids (_and their neighbor friends who never seem to leave_) learn from these guys?

“Oh yeah, Bucky Egan taught me how to swim while wearing his aviators…”

In other words:

Harry Crosby went home and built himself a little Norman Rockwell Camelot and then opened the doors of the kingdom to his buddies and -that’s as it should be.

And that’s not even mentioning how the Air Force and the CIA walked up to his front porch and interrupted a backyard ballgame to ask him for his help

It sucks to be super smart and needed when all ya wanna do is teach literature, go camping and help keep the church life going

But still

Jean sure looked good in Pakistan, the kids enjoyed a new culture and Harry likes to say he may have done some good

[luminouslywriting]

Can I request a BOB headcanon where you haven't been sleeping well recently and the boys begin to notice that you're a bit sleep deprived, please?

^^Gif is not mine and belongs to yourspeirs^^

A/N: Hello darling! This is a great request and I'm super excited to get this out to you guys! School started today, I got to wear my vintage 1955 lipstick that I ordered, and I'm chillin! So enjoy!

Dick Winters:

-Honestly, he probably clocks it before you even realize that the exhaustion is setting in. He's someone who pays close attention to the little things and is going to encourage you to get some rest.

-And yes, this may be given in the form of an order if you don't listen to him at first

-But if he also realizes that you're having a hard time sleeping, he's going to have a few good ol' home remedies for such a situation

-There's this wonderful tea that he makes (if the resources are available), and it absolutely helps you relax right before you go to sleep. He's also more than happy to talk to you about plans for the future as you try to fall asleep if that will help.

Lewis Nixon:

-Haha, he's not getting any good rest either. But worry not, he's got a great solution 👀

-Yes, it's literally just: "You're having trouble sleeping? I'm having trouble sleeping? The solution clearly is that we sleep together. But literally, just sleep."

-He's a chronic cuddler and this is a great way for you to get comfortable and relax. If not, he's also more than happy to look for alternative means

-Otherwise, get comfy as he doesn't like to let go until late morning haha

Ronald Speirs:

-Is probably too busy to notice?? At least at first. If it's to a point that he's noticing it, then it's probably a definite problem and he's definitely going to just give you an order to go to sleep.

-And yes, he'd go to your superior officers about it or even to the medics and order you to have a nap

-He's not above using his position to ensure that you get the proper rest that you need

-Speirs cares...it's just in his own way and that means that he's going to do whatever it takes to ensure that you're feeling better :)

Buck Compton:

-Someone who picks up on it pretty quickly and gently prods about it. He's got all sorts of stories that he remembers from his history and literature classes in college that he can tell you about while you're trying to fall asleep

-He's also pretty attentive to figuring out if it's a noise issue or a light issue and finding ways to block out sound or help with the light.

-He's going to check in and make sure that the sleep is getting better and this is something that continues well after the war

-He remembers the little things :)

Carwood Lipton:

-A mother hen about the entire thing—he's out here clocking immediately that you're exhausted and not looking too good. He's worrying incessantly.

-He's not going to overstep his boundaries...but he might kindly suggest that you speak to the medics or to a superior officer about catching a few hours of rest

-Will check back in with you to see if you were able to rest. If you were, then great. If not...then he's going to be pulling out all the stops and is going to come and lay by you until you fall asleep.

-Literally the sweetest man to go to if you're sleep deprived.

Joe Liebgott:

-Doesn't really realize that it's a problem until you're probably swaying on your feet

-It's at this point that he's going to gracefully guide you over to a cot or somewhere that you can nap and is going to sweet talk you into getting the rest that you need

-Wants to know why you didn't tell him that you haven't been sleeping well lately....he just wants you to be okay and well rested

-Also might bribe you with some slightly dirty promises haha

Donald Malarkey:

-Has clocked this a while ago and is just patiently waiting for you to realize that you need to get some rest. He's very respectful of boundaries and wants you to make your own decisions.

-Is not above stealing some chocolate to bribe you into taking a nap haha

-Absolutely the type to encourage you to count sheep or stars to try and help you fall asleep

-Also a very good cuddler to help people fall asleep

Eugene Roe:

-The sweetest bestest man for this situation??? Like, listen, he gets it. This is also someone who is sleep deprived. However, he worries way more about you and your health.

-Will pull medical rank to ensure that you get your nap

-Also more than willing to sneak you something to make sure that you fall asleep haha

-But more than anything, he's the type of man to tell you old Cajun tales in his soft voice to get you sleepy

Bill Guarnere:

-Literally will point blank tell you to go take a nap

-Then in a much softer and sweeter tone, will swing his arm around you, and ask if he can take a nap with you

-He's very invested in making sure that you're well rested and is the type of man to bribe with food and other means to ensure that you listen to what your body needs—and that's sleep

-Will talk your ear off about what it's going to be like when you're sleep deprived after the war and WHY you're going to be sleep deprived. I promise it's for a much dirtier reason lol.

Joe Toye:

-Acts as though he himself is tired and needs to take a nap. And point blank asks if you'll help him fall asleep.

-This technique is sneaky and though you might pick up on it, it's the thought that counts here

-He's out here ensuring that you don't feel like you're stressing him out by doing this—and making you feel as though you're helping him just as much as he's helping you

-Honestly, this man is a 10/10 in this situation

George Luz:

-Makes you laugh so hard that you cry out of exhaustion and then asks you if you're tired so that you have to admit it

-At which point he just takes your hand and declares that you're going to take a nap and he's going to watch your back for you

-It's all very sweet and very Luz of him tbh

-Holds your hand until you're asleep and presses a kiss to your forehead

[lovelyd0gg]

Some mini HCs!

Heya! I decided I wanted to do this cute little thing where I write a small story with you and the boys in different scenarios! But you guys only talking!

The different ways the boys say "I love you too."

Warnings: cutesy fluff<3

Bonus boys: The bonus boys areeeee... David Webster and Richard Winters!

𝙳𝚎𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚕𝚎𝚖𝚊𝚗 (𝙱𝚞𝚕𝚕)

"Hey Bull?"

"𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘩 𝘩𝘶𝘯?"

"I love you."

"𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘰, 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵."

*soft kiss on the forehead<3."

𝐄𝐮𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐞.

"Gene?"

"𝑴𝒉𝒎?"

"I love you."

"𝑱𝒆 𝒕'𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒖𝒙 𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒓." (𝑰 ��𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆.)

*kiss on the cheek.*

George Luz.

"Luz?"

"ʏᴇᴀʜ ᴘᴏᴛᴀᴛᴏ?"

"I love you."

"ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴍʏ ᴛɪɴʏ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʙᴀʙʏ."

*Sweet kiss on the nose.*

𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙙 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙮.

"Malarkey?"

"𝘠𝘶𝘩-𝘩𝘶𝘩?"

"I love you."

"𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰𝘰, 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨!"

*kiss<3*

𝙻𝚎𝚠𝚒𝚜 𝙽𝚒𝚡𝚘𝚗.

"Hey Nix?"

"𝖶𝗁𝖺𝗍?"

"I love you."

"𝖠𝗋𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖽𝗋𝗎𝗇𝗄? 𝖨 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗍𝗈𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁."

*playful smack on the head.*

𝑩𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝑮𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒆.

"Hey Bill!"

"Waddyawant?"

"I love you."

"Yeah, yeah, I love ya too sweetcheeks."

*kiss<3*

𝚁𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚍 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚒𝚛𝚜.

"Speirs."

"...hm?"

"I love you."

"...I love you too.."

*gentle head pats.*

𝐽𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑝ℎ 𝐿𝑖𝑒𝑏𝑔𝑜𝑡𝑡.

"Hey lieb?"

"What's up, beautiful?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, sunshine."

*kiss<33*

𝘿𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙙 𝙒𝙚𝙗𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧.

"Web?"

"yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, honey."

*continues to read book.*

Richard Winters.

"Richard?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

*soft forehead kiss.*

[ithinkabouttzu]

I love your writing!!! I feel like you would do this so well but if it’s too much I totally get it! I was wondering if you could do a how easy co reacts to a readers crazy ex bf, like restraining order level crazy, maybe past trauma that they never ever talked about before but suddenly the guy is around so it gets brought up? Reader seems terrified and they realize why type of thing. Doesn’t even have to be all reactions either… maybe just winters, Speirs, guarnere, bull, and Liebgott?

Yes of course thank you for your request!! I hope you enjoy it! 💖

Easy co.’s reaction to their s/o having a crazy ex

genre: romance, angst, jealousy?

warnings: Fighting; violence, swearing (reader is gn!)

Description: The easy co. boys reaction to their s/o (you) seeing your crazy ex in public

Taglist: @executethyself35 @linhkhanhcps @1waveshortofashipwreck @grumpy-liebgott @barbeygirl @samwinchesterslostshoe @ronsenthal @sweetxvanixlla (If you want to be on this list, let me know!! :))

BoB masterlist

Dick Winters: You and him would be out downtown, window shopping and enjoying one another’s time. He’s very attentive so I feel like if something was wrong with you he’d notice it immediately. He’d see you constantly fiddling with your hands and glancing away. “What’s wrong honey?” He would ask you before seeing them. Your ex, walking towards you two. He would immediately take the initiative and move you and him away from your ex. Making sure that you never have to worry about coming face to face with him. It’s a very rare moment where he gets very protective over you. When you tell him what happened with you and your ex, he feels furious. He somehow wishes he could have been there for you, to make sure you never got hurt in any way possible. He promises to you that he will never hurt you or let anything happen to you, he swears by it.

Bill Guarnere: I feel like he’s one of those boyfriends who already does some research on your ex/s wayyy before getting in a relationship with you. So when you guys are out and about and he sees him, you don’t have to worry about him not coming up to y’all, because he’s already walking up to him ready to beat the hell out of him. (he’s a whoop-ass and explain later type of guy) I think he gets more emotional than you do. Just because he loves you so much and would hate to see you uncomfortable, especially when he’s around. I also feel like he’d take the “protector” role very seriously in y’all’s relationship so be prepared for that also. He’d spend the rest of the day just making up to you and trying his best to make you feel safe.

Joe Liebgott: You and him would be having a cute little date at the zoo, looking at all the cute animals and enjoying the nice weather, I think both of you are too distracted with one another to notice that there is a weird looking person walking up to y’all very quickly. Joe notices that you look uncomfortable first, and when he sees your ex he finally connects the dots and gets very defensive over you. He kinda has this instinct where he needs to protect you at all costs, like pushing you behind him in case things get out of hand lol. “If you gotta problem, pal, you can tell me” You honestly have to pull Lieb out of a fight no kidding. “do something like that again and see what happens” Is definitely threatening your dumb ass ex. He feels so bad bc he felt like seeing your ex ruined the date, but promises to make it up to you. “I swear darlin’ I’ll never be like them.”

Bull Randleman: He would have taken you out on a beautiful dinner after a long week. Something nice that you and him both deserve, all until you see your ex. In all honesty he would hate to see you scared. Like it makes him so angry, all he wants to do is hold you and tell you everything will be okay. He sees you so nervous and genuinely doesn’t know what’s going on, until he sees you looking at someone who looks a lot like your ex that he’s seen before. He has to mentally talk himself out of going up to your ex, and just “talking��� to them. In reaction to all this he just keeps you close and offers for you and him to leave the area if you’d like. “I promise you, sweet thing, you don’t have to worry about them anymore. I’m here now.” He just wants to take you away from the situation and let you pick what you guys do for the rest of the evening. He probably has a one-on-one conversation with your ex while you wait in the car. “Whatever happened in the past, it’s over. Don’t ever look at them again.”

Ronald Speirs: It’s pretty self explanatory on how this guy would act. He doesn’t fly completely off the rails but it’s very obvious he wants to commit crimes on your ex. Like if looks could kill your ex would have been obliterated into the air. And if your ex APPROACHES you?? Oh it’s game on. He really doesn’t have an excuse to be cordial anymore. He goes for the, “Honey, is this guy/gal bothering you? Do I need to do something about it?” He is the most intimidating person ever in this situation. Verbal threats are definitely said from him, clear warnings if anything. Seeing you so nervous and scared sets something scary off inside of him. Like he’s ready to tear anyone apart just to make sure you are safe and sound. If anything you’ll be needing to calm him down for the rest of the night. “If you ever see him/her around here close to you, let me know and i’ll handle it” It’s safe to say that you won’t have to worry about them again lmao.

I hope you all enjoyed!! If you did, make sure and help a writer out by leaving a like or reblog, your words mean the world!! 🧡

[jskywalkvr]

Fell first Fell harder

there are so many fics/hcs where john is absolutely in love with gale from the start but what if gale was in love with his best friend first? but when john found out about it he was confused at first but oh... he'd go to hell and back for gale.

[bejeweledblondie]

Peggy, The Pin Up

-

A/N: I apologize for being MIA I’ve had a lot of very great but time consuming things take over my life! I’ve started a 1940s vintage clothing blog & I’m shocked at how successful it has become. On top of that I’ve got promotions at work & it’s opened so many doors for me. I’m hoping to write a bit more!

Warnings: classic 1940’s sexism, mentions of nudity, female pronouns

Summary: Y/N never expected for her pin up prints to be put out… it causes some disruption on Abbott-Thorpe & one dark curly haired aviator comes to her rescue

It all happened on a Thursday morning at breakfast. Y/N sat there in her crisp white uniform shoveling the chalky yellow substance the army called eggs in her mouth. A dark shadow appeared above her plate & a magazine was plopped down in front of her.

“Don’t even try to deny it, this is you isn’t it?” He asked with a hint of amusement in his voice. Speechless she looked away & noticed that the Army’s shipment of Esquire hit the shelves. “God who knew? We knew you were a tease, but this is just another level.” He started. “Do you know what everyone says about you?” She shook her head shamefully, lying to herself. She had heard rumblings in the sick bay from time to time. Sometimes while fixing a patients IV bag or a even helping move a patient a hemline might rise causing a stir.

Before the pilot could continue his chauvinistic teasing session she immediately grabbed her belongings & swiftly exited. Little did she know a dark curly haired pilot was watching the torment happen. Due to rank he couldn’t intervene but oh he so badly wanted to bury the man six feet under. He had grown fond of the nurse, she was always so kind with his men. Incredibly soft spoken & nurturing when it came to the care she provided. He had walked in on her reading a copy of John Steinbeck’s, “Of Mice & Men” to the wounded pilots one evening. She didn’t have to do that, she could’ve been out dancing at the Officer’s Club. But she voluntarily chose to stay after her shift to read to them. He could tell the men greatly appreciated it too, it gave them a small window of comfort during an incredibly traumatic moment in their lives.

Douglass, also watching the debacle rolled his eyes & sipped his coffee.

“These men act like they’ve never seen tits before it’s insane.” He scoffed. Rosie almost choked on the toast he was eating.

“I mean some are freshly turned eighteen.” Blakely reminded him.

“Still, this is going to cause a huge fucking problem.” He swore. “Rosenthal, you okay?” Rosie had been staring off into the space during the duration of the conversation.

“Go to her,” Douglass sighed. “She may be oblivious but I’m not. You’ll also want to scoop her before someone like Egan does.” With that Rosie excused himself & started to head towards the medical ward. The sterile white environment contrasted heavily from the drab olive green darkness of the mess hall. Injured pilots laid in beds reading the paper, being fed their morning breakfast, or having their vitals taken. Valerie, a nurse he knew was friendly with Y/N was checking the vitals on a young sergeant.

“Val!” He said getting her attention & started over to her. “Have you seen Y/N?” He asked.

“Yeah, she seemed a bit off,” She started. “She begged Major to allow her to just work in supply today. You might wanna try there.”

“Thank you.” Rosie replied & made his way to the supply room. There she stood sniffling & rolling gauze. Her eyes were clouded with a melancholy look as she completed the mundane task. He knocked on the door frame causing her to look up slightly startled.

“Oh Major Rosenthal it’s you,” She said with a slight tremble in her voice. “What can I do for you?” He cringed at her using his rank, usually it would make his blood pressure rise & heart race. But this circumstance was entirely different.

“I saw what happened in the chow hall,” He started. She’s started to wipe away tears. “I just wanted to see how you were doing.” He said wringing anxiously. She sighed deeply & looked away.

“I’ll be alright,” She stated. “I’m just going to lay low for a few weeks.” It broke his heart to see her this way. She was always a little jumpy & anxious to begin with. This situation just poured gasoline on a oil fire.

“No,” Rosie stated. “You shouldn’t let some asshole make you feel uncomfortable.” She stared him with big wide eyes. “If it makes you feel any better I’ll escort you places.” Her eyes softened as she listened to him. A small crimson warmth crept onto her cheeks at the mere mention of him escorting her.

After a few weeks, the heat died out about the pin up nurse. Rosie & Y/N had become closer over the weeks. His protection meant no one would even try to touch a hair on her head. From lingering touches, longing gazes, & of course Rosie sitting on her nightly readings to the wounded pilots. He (like every man on post who took a liking to her) did keep a copy of the pin up photo.

On missions he’d keep the folded piece of paper tucked into the pocket of his sheepskin. A reminder of what he was protecting & fighting for. His calloused thumb would graze over her innocent smile as he admired the image. Even in his bunk, he’d spend some alone time with it after everyone had fallen asleep. During one night after the pin up photo was brought up by a rookie pilot, & in turn making Y/N uncomfortable. Rosie knew he had to make her see what he saw in the photo. After some discussions with Ken Lemmons, he decided to really make sure he was reminded everyday was he was fighting for.

With hands covering her eyes he directed her to the airstrip.

“Rosie I can’t see!” Y/N giggled, tripping over her own feet. He chuckled at her natural clumsiness. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see, you’re so impatient.” He said. He lead her right up the nose to his beloved bomber. “Okay now you can see.” With the removal of his hands & a adjustment to the sunlight she was staring at herself painted on the side of his bomber. The same pin up that graced Esquire months ago that brought them together. She gasped in pure shock at the artwork.

“Oh, Rosie.” She gasped unable to speak. “Did you paint this?”

“With a little help from Lemmons.” He replied. “I want you to see what I see. A beautiful woman. Do you like it?”

“I-wow,” She smiled. “I love it.” She turned around to face him. He was staring down her, admiring the way the sun light reflected off her hair. He brushed stray strands of hair behind her ear. His hand lightly danced across her cheek bone as he stared adoringly into her eyes. He leaned down & placed a tender kiss onto her lips. She reciprocated & kissed back. Her arms wrapped around his neck & his slowly gravitated to her waist pulling her in closer. After pulling a part they rested foreheads against one another.

“God you have no idea how long I’ve always wanted to do that,” He admitted.

[belovedastolove]

bofb ships and petnames hc’s :D

hey yall sorry for inactivity!!!! i am feeling quite insane and can’t stop thinking about this so i present you with this :3

webgott - david calls joe liebling because he is obsessed with the fact that the german word for darling is so close to joe’s name. he also calls joe honey and and joe pretends to hate it but actually is Absolutely Obsessed with it. joe calls david davey but only when he’s feeling especially tender and sweet.

baberoe - gene absolutely smothers babe with a bunch of random french petnames. a personal favorite of mine is mon cœur which means my heart or mon ange which means my angel. babe likes to call gene baby or love or genie.

luztoye - joe definitely calls george sugar, i don’t make the rules. george likes to call joe stud muffin as a joke but calls him sunshine when he’s feeling especially loving.

winnix - they aren’t big on petnames, but lew loves to call dick honey and dick calls lew dear like an old married couple.

spierton - they call each other sweetheart. end of discussion.

[theweirdgoodbyes]

Fuck it, more dive bar!au to add onto my others posts

Owner: nix owns the bar because of course he fucking does. He graduated college and sat in his basement getting high for months on end until his parents basically threw 100k at him and told him to do something with his life

Manager: so when they first opened dick was the manager but got a job at Darden corporate and left to make more money (and be able to date nix). Now speirs is the manager and always appears when you least expect him (“why are you cutting limes like that-“ “CHRIST SPEIRS CAN YOU NOT I HAVE A KNIFE”). Lipton is the assistant manager and everyone goes to him first because he’s not as scary.

bouncers: bull and bill are the bouncers and they’re both pretty good, the only difference is that bull will never fight you in the bar and bill will ONLY fight you in the bar

bartenders: joe is their best bartender but also the cause of half their fights because he’s a mouthy shit. Welsh and Luz are tied for second best but Luz gets caught up talking to customers and forgets to charge people for drinks. Buck used to bartend but got a “big boy” job and is now their “oh shit we’re drowning” emergency call.

Barbacks: muck and penkala are the barbacks and consistently get into misadventures while changing kegs. They tried to train both of them on bar and it was such a disaster that they lost 500 bucks in sales for comping people.

Cooks: malarkey is their pseudo head chef and makes a damn good burger. Toye is in charge when he’s out and Shifty and Floyd also work in the kitchen. They’re kinda in their own world back there and blast daddy yankee all night

Servers: Eugene is their best server and everyone requests him when they come in because he’s so fucking fast like has waters on the tables in seconds and quite literally runs food while it’s still steaming. Perconte also serves and constantly fumbles but he’s so lovable that no one gets mad at him

Hosts: web and babe are the hosts and they share a singular brain cell during working hours because they’re too busy jabbering away about dumb movies or books. Eugene is constantly scolding them for fucking up the seating rotation.

Does everything: Johnny fucking Martin, he’s technically an assistant manager like lip but is constantly having to fill in as cook, host, server. He bitches about it the whole time but secretly loves how busy it keeps him.

pleaaaaase feel free to add on!!!

[beachszn]

george luz • gryffindor

[balladofthe101st]

I hereby no longer wish to serve as a non-commissioned officer in Easy Company.

[barbeygirl]

Bucky soothing reader after a bad dream hc’s

this is one of those ”create the content you want to see” posts lmao

He’s looking out of a window of an apartment that he’s lucky to be brought back to, time and time again.

You’ve been sleeping peacefully next to him.

His thoughts drift to how, in the morning, you’ll once again try to sneak him out of the apartment. And how your face will heat up as your roommates cast knowing looks your way.

And Bucky will once again be his ever so charming self and wave a good morning to them, as you shove him out of the door. You’ll hate his grin in that moment.

Smiling at the thought, he looks down at you and is just about to swipe a strand of hair away from your face as you twitch.

He retracts his hand, not wanting to disturb your sleep, but continues to watch you.

You’re quietly murmuring something and his brows furrow as he watches your face shift to an uneasy expression.

When your movement grows and the restless face you’re making doesn’t stop, he rests his hand on your shoulder.

You wake up to him slowly soothing you awake.

After briefly looking around the room, your gaze moves to his worried stare.

”Morning” is all he says. His voice sounds gruff and sleepy.

You move closer to him and his touch, still half asleep but looking for comfort. He welcomes you in and pulls you to rest against his chest.

”Bad dream?” He whispers into your hair and you nod quietly. He hums and soothes your back.

He listens to your breathing and feels relieved when it slowly returns to normal. But you’re still fidgeting and can’t really seem to fall back asleep.

Won’t push you to talk about the dream but will listen if you start telling him. Responds in quiet hums and by soothing his thumb across your cheek and playing with your hair.

Kisses you on the forehead and tells you to go back to sleep. Says he’ll be here the whole time so you can safely close your eyes for a couple more hours.

Falls asleep pretty quickly after you. And you wake up in the morning with his arm possessively placed on top of you.

masterlist

[lenisoldi]

Malarkey

First Kiss

Roe

All for nothing

We belong together

Anything for you

Liebgott

You can’t deny it

BoB boys reaction to you being a virgin and a bit shy because of it

BoB boys: Hobbies

HC: You confessing your love to them (Luz, Bill, Nix)

HC: Short fem!reader

HC: Doc’s reaction to Y/N being afraid of nearly everything

Luzs and Docs reaction to see you cry

Speirs reaction to your crying after he yelled at you

Who fell first, who fell harder

HC: Relationship with Ronald Speirs

HC: First time sleeping with them (Bill, Tab, Ron)

Genes reaction to your selfharming

BoB boys reaction to your self harming

BoB boys reaction to your self harming pt.2

Luz and Toye

Speirs

BoB boys

[rogue-durin-16]

LUCKY LUZ

Request: omg you are my favourite writer, and I read your bob stuff weekly again and again ! If you feel like it, I was thinking prompt 7? With George Luz ? I’m a sucker for angst so like anything angsty with my boo George Luz.

Summary: Bastogne took a serious toll on Easy Company. At the loss of so many friends, George Luz started to tamper with his luck a bit too much for a certain medic's liking.

Prompt/s:

"We have a problem." "No— you have a problem. I have an idiot who keeps getting in trouble."

Pairing: George Luz x medic!Reader

Genre: angst

Tags:

Band Of Brothers: @fernando-jpg @chubbypotatoepie @tvserie-s-world @clumsy-wonderland @lordndsaviorwinters

Permanent taglist: @elia-the-bibliophile @randomparanoid @karlthecat15722 @thebutchersdaughtersblog @amourtentiaa @comfort-reads

Warnings: mentions of death, survivor's guilt, self-destructive behavior, depressed George Luz (YES THIS IS A WARNING I'M GENUINELY SORRY)

A/N: you asked for angst? I'll give you angst. Also, it's been SOOO long idek if I'm gonna write the BoB boys right/as I used to, so bear with me while I try to get the hang of this again. Enjoy this request and remember they're open so feel free to send ideas <3.

Band of Brothers masterlist

Rogue-durin-16 masterlist

In war, much like in any aspect of life, there would always be recklessness.

Little did it matter whether it was on the XO's, the Privates' or the civilians'. There would always be recklessness causing avoc amongst the carefully detailed strategies. It wasn't an excuse for whatever the outcome was, but it was expected and one could somewhat prepare to counteract it— to balance it out.

George Luz's behavior during our last days in the Bois Jaques was not recklessness.

No, it wasn't something as simple, so easily justified by inexperience, pride or short-temper. It was darker, more complicated, and way much worrying than recklessness.

'you think he's tryna kill himself?'

Spina's question, the one he had whispered to me in our foxhole a few nights prior, echoed in the back of my mind every day since then.

'Don't say that.' I had responded at the time.

Now George Luz laid before me, unconscious, with bandages under his winter uniform and I asked myself the same damn question.

Twenty Hours Earlier

"INCOMING!"

Lip's shouts were barely audible, muffled under the thunderous shelling of our position.

We had just managed to advance further into the Bois Jaques and towards the town of Foy, which seemed more and more unreachable each passing day, when that dreadful whistling hovered over us.

Foxholes barely dug and low morale after the loses we had endured the past couple of days, made it harder than usual to react on time.

Thankfully, German artillery hadn't zeroed us yet, so most of us managed to take cover.

If most of us managed, why was George still standing out in the open?

"LUZ! GET DOWN!" Someone yelled, but it didn't reach him.

"GEORGE!! DOWN!!" Lipton's throat sounded sore, but it did the trick and soon the Technician was crouching, yards away from me, helmet secured with one hand and his rifle up on the other.

Lucky Luz, an ominous, abrupt silence followed his delayed reaction as the shelling seemed to come to a halt.

"Woah," as if everything was fine, he snapped back into his carefree demeanor with a breathy laugh. "That was a close one, huh, Y/n?"

My immediate, impulse-driven reaction was to yell at him, although not even I could hear it.

Another deafening whistle.

Another explosion.

Maybe Luz was lucky himself, or maybe, just maybe, he was lucky we were willing to risk our lives for him.

Maybe he was just lucky I jumped out of my foxhole to pull him into it.

Maybe he was just lucky I wrapped him in a tight embrace to shield him from possible shrapnel the best I could.

Maybe, just maybe, he was lucky enough for me to feel his yelp despite not hearing him due to the explosions— lucky enough to have been dragged on his back instead of his tummy.

Lucky enough to be in a medic's foxhole.

The shelling stopped, this time for good. I halfheartedly let go of Luz, my gloves now crimson-stained.

My heart skipped a beat.

" 'M hit—"

"Christ— I got it." My covered palms instinctively found the left side of his ribcage, but failed to reach his wounded upper thigh.

"—fuck-" he hissed, jolting his head up in pain and consequently bumping it on my shoulder.

"LIP!" Before I could yell anything else, our Sergeant slid into the foxhole.

"WE NEED A JEEP OVER HERE! PERCONTE!" He shouted, pulling George towards him so I could move aside and properly fix him up. "It's alright, George, you're okay— right Y/n?"

Luz was not okay. We knew it.

But I couldn't exactly say that, specially just after he had been hit.

"Right, Y/n?" Lipton insisted intently, holding George in place while I ripped his jacket to have an easier access to the main wound. "Y/n?"

"Yeah- yeah, right." I mumbled, dusting the sulfa powder where he had been hit. "Sarge, I need that jeep."

Lipton sighed and looked over his shoulder. "Perco?!"

"They're comin', Lip!"

George was awfully quiet as he tried not to recoil due to the pressure put over his open wounds.

"It's alright." Lipton repeated, more to himself than to Luz.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

GEORGE'S P. O. V.

"You're awake." She stated even before I could open my eyelids to see her standing by me, arms crossed and a frown on her face.

"How'd you know?" I question, squinting and blinking a few times before propping myself up in the poor excuse of a bed in which I had been laid to recover.

" 'Cause I know you."

"Where are we?"

"You got hit."

"I know."

"Then why on earth did you ask—"

"Dunno, I was hoping we'd be in heaven." I winked at her before completing my sentence. "Since you're my own personal angel."

Silence.

"You think it's funny?" I opened my mouth in agape, not knowing which was the right answer to that —because there was always a right answer with her— but I had no time to choose. "You think it's funny that I had to put myself in harm's way to drag your ass to safety?"

I furrowed my brows with a puzzled half smile and a sort of anger I couldn't describe brewing inside me. "You're kiddin' right?" A single breathy laugh escaped my throat. "C'mon Y/n/n, I thought you knew what you were signing up for when you volunteered to be a medic."

"Excuse me?"

"I mean if you don't know you have to 'put yourself in harm's way'," I mimicked her voice, which left her stunned. "Then, we have a problem."

"No. You have a problem." oh, she was mad. "I have an idiot who keeps getting in trouble." The medic was quite obviously trying not to yell at me.

"Okay, if you say so." I shrugged, trying not to let the turmoil of emotions the conversation was triggering inside me show through my careless facade.

"What are you trying to do here, George?"

"Nothin'?"

"Why are you trying to get under my skin?"

"It's just what I do best, sweetheart."

And it was true. For two years, I had been an awfully insufferable piece of shit.

How could I not? When that was the only way to get her attention back in Toccoa; the only way to stand up in the eyes of the prettiest woman I had ever seen amongst an entire Battalion of men.

Not that it took me anywhere per se, but at least we had forged a friendship based on sweet bickering, muffled laughs and knowing glances.

She used to laugh all the time.

Maybe I was no longer funny. Had I lost the one thing I was useful for?

Or maybe she was tired of me.

She did seem tired then, staring at me with a saddened, wornout visage.

"You're not okay." She nearly whispered. "I'm done letting you pretend you are."

"I'm not pretending—"

"You think I don't know what means being medic?" Her tone told me I had crossed the line. "You think I don't know I gotta get out there if someone cries for help, no matter how scared am I or how slim my chances of survival are?" Y/n tried to stay gentle, but she had had enough, which somehow scared me. "But no one screamed 'medic', George. You weren't down. But I still got out there to get you. It was not my job, do you understand?"

Shut up shut up shut up.

"Well if you're gonna complain this much then you should've left me there—"

"To die?"

Despite the crazing chaos that surrounded our little corner in the aid station, I somehow heard nothing but a deafening silence and the pounding of my heart.

"Do you wanna die, George?" I went livid, trying to look for a reply that wouldn't make me crack. "Is that what you're trying to do? Kill yourself?"

"Are you nuts?"

"Answer my question."

"I-" Scoff. "what d'you even—"

"Luz."

"I'm tired! I'm just tired and didn't react on time, okay? Is that what you wanna hear?"

"What I wanna hear is a good reason not to get you pulled off the line!" She shouted, stomping on the cold ground beneath us.

Oh, now people were staring.

She used to become so self-conscious about that; people giving her looks for raising her tone.

As she stood straight by my side, towering over my bed, there was not a single ounce of self-consciousness in her frame.

She was mad. Mad and hurt.

Hurt because I wasn't being honest with her. Hurt because she had been sticking up for me for an entire week because I just wasn't there; because I was, like she had just said, I was an idiot getting in trouble.

"So? Go on, then." The medic spurred me, gradually lowering her voice again. "Give me a good reason."

"You can't get the XO'S to pull me off the line, Y/n." I chose to respond, almost daring the girl.

She was holding back. I didn't quite know from what exactly but I knew she was holding back, and a part of me wanted Y/n to lash out.

I'm sure a part of her wanted, too.

Tension could be cut with a knife, and deep down I wanted to give her an answer but the truth was I couldn't find it, and if I was damn good at something, it was dodging the bullet.

"Listen if you don't have anythin' else to say," I shrugged with my brows raised. "Guess it's better for you to head out."

"Y'know what? I still have something to say." She spat through gritted teeth, yanking a stool that stood alone by a blooded stretcher. With a deep breath, she sat down beside me, which was the last thing I expected her to do. "You're a fuckin' moron. You've always been. But you've never been an asshole." She spoke intently, trying to get her point across despite me not being in the best place to listen. "You're not an asshole, George."

No matter how angry or frustrated she was, there was always an inherent sweetness in her tone whenever she talked to me, one that shook me to the core because how could someone be so lovely in such horrific setting? How could she be so lovely to me?

"And you're not gonna convince me otherwise." She firmly stated, staring straight into my soul to make herself clear.

'I see through your bullshit'.

"So quit it."

She remained expectant, waiting for me to say something —anything.

I couldn't.

She knew it.

With a defeated sigh, she reached out for my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before getting up and out of the tent. It was her way to apologize because she had to leave. I knew that gesture too well.

Aldbourne, Early September

Laughter and soft music kept the good spirits high inside the crowded pub in Aldbourne; our small safe haven. The only place where I had seen Y/n loosen up completely.

She lit up the place, dancing with Penkala, telling stories with Guarnere, cracking jokes with Martin —her dry humor matched his perfectly.

It was, I think, while she held onto my arm, throwing her head back in a fit of laughter due to something Babe had said, that I knew I loved her.

Even with her head on my shoulder and my arm lazily wrapped around her waist, she remembered to check her watch. Ever the dutiful one.

"Jesus! Would you look at that?" She pulled away from me, her fingers gently clasping my forearm before giving me an apologetic smile. "Gotta head out already, boys."

"Oh, c'mon Y/n" Buck complained, but she repeated the gesture with him and he knew no amount of convincing would get her to stay.

"But we're just getting started!" Babe complained.

"Sorry, Heffron. I really gotta head out." She squeezed his bicep briefly when she walked past him. "You better not be late, Compton!" She yelled as a form of goodbye before waving at the boys filling the English bar, now a bit less merry. At least for me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

READER'S P. O. V.

"M'kay what else do we need?" I asked Gene, my trusted pencil in hand to write down the supplies needed on the back of a photograph.

"What d'you have so far?"

"Uhm... Morphine," I listed, raising a finger. "bandages, three pairs of scissors,"

"Sulfa powder." He added, going through the boxes we had left.

"Sulfa... powder..." I muttered with knitted eyebrows while I noted the words. "Anything else?"

"Let me check—" The medic stood up in his foxhole, his attention caught on a particular voice coming from our left. "Ain't that—"

"Yes it is. Fuck." I handed Eugene the photograph and climbed out the dug out patch on the frozen ground. A part of us expected to be wrong, but of course not. What had initially been tentative steps turned into fast stalking. "Are you kidding me?"

George's laugh died down and a wave of 'shit's came out of the group of veterans surrounding him, who quickly spread out.

"Missed me much?" The attempted playfulness was charged with masked fear. He let out a yelp when I grasped his forearm and dragged him away from curious ears. "What's that for?"

"Don't you dare act stupid." I hissed with a menacing index finger up at his face.

"Okay, Y/n, listen—"

"You went AWOL in this state. I'm not listening to any bullshit."

"Oh, c'mon" the dismissive eye roll only made me fume even more. "We've all done that."

"It's not the same."

"How."

"You're. Not. Okay. George."

"Oh and you are?!" I sushed him when he inevitably rose his tone at me, clearly forgetting we didn't know exactly how close we were to the Germans. "Breaking news, Y/n/n!" The belligerent tone in which my nickname had come out sounded so unnatural. "no one's okay!"

"Winters is expecting my final advice."

"On what?"

"On whether to pull you back or not." His mouth opened in agape, betrayal reflected all over him. "I wasn't bluffing when I said I'd get you out." There was a finality in my words, one that neither of us liked.

Since the current situation seemed to be leading to the one which had place in the aid station a couple of days prior, I turned heel and attempted to leave.

"Y/n wait—" George's digits yanked back the sleeve of my coat. "I don't want out!" His throat suffered from the rasping.

"Then why does it look like you do?"

I should have stopped pushing.

"YOU DIDN'T SEE IT!" He exchanged the whisper-shouts for a loud cry filled with anger and frustration and something that made his chocolate brown irises water.

"SHHHH!"

"DON'T SHUSH ME!" He was losing it. It wasn't the yelling that gave it away, but the push on my shoulder.

I shouldn't have, but I myself didn't have much patience left in me. Against better judgement, My gloves found the lapels of his coat and shoved him back against a nearby tree. "I don't wanna get shot, George, so tone it down." The softness in my pitch came out as a hard contrast to my actions.

It did the trick, though. After a gulp and a deep breath, George's tone lowered. "You didn't see it? Okay? No one saw— I- They- " My hands abandoned him in order to offer some space, hoping that would help him articulate his thoughts better. "There was noth- nothing left!"

"What's-" I tilted my head to the side, trying to make sense out of the unfinished sentences. "What d'you mean w—"

"And I was right there!" He pushed himself off the tree, an index pointing at his chest violently. "I had to see it! Right in front of me!"

"George, you need to slow down-" my palms raised in surrender, ready to grab the technician if necessary.

The tension he was building up made both of our hearts pound faster each passing second for more than one reason.

"First Toye and... And then that happened and I-I had to dig out the fuckin'- the goddamn cross! I was- There were... Parts of 'em—"

Oh.

"It was... I was looking for it all over and... it was all mushy and I don't know if it was... Dirt or... Jesus..." The man took a step back, consciously or not and his legs seemed to falter ever so slightly.

"Okay, I got you." clasping his forearms with all my might, I helped him hold himself upright, not without some staggering. "I need you to breathe, okay?" My eyes searched for his, unwilling to meet mines. So that was what had been happening.

"I don't want out." He stated with a shake of his head, making a single strand of hair wobble over his forehead. "I don't get to leave."

Sigh.

"Muck and Penkala," he flinched at the mention of their names. "They'd want you to leave."

"You don't know that." It was a murmur, much less intended to be said out loud than the question that followed it. "Do you want me to leave?"

No.

"I just don't want you dead."

"That wasn't the question."

I don't want you to leave me here. Alone.

"For god's sake George—"

"Why do you want me away so badly?" There was a sort of plea in the question, one that was breaking my heart. "Did you get tired of me?"

I love you.

"That's not—"

"If you're done with my bullshit I can just ask to switch platoons."

I love you.

"George I'm telling you—" I groaned, letting go of him. "it's not about that."

"Well whatever it is, I can just switch to second,"

"George."

I love you.

"they're short on people anyway."

I love you.

"I don't need you to switch platoons."

"Then what the hell do you need?"

I love you.

"I need you to be careful!" Now it was me who needed to be sushed. "You're gonna get yourself killed. And you're gonna get me killed!"

That hit a nerve.

With regained strength, George shortened the distance I had just put between us in order to try and breathe, a task that seemed to become more difficult each passing second.

"Then stop sticking out for me!"

I love you.

"It's not that simple!"

"Why not?"

"I love you! You idiot." Lucky me, Luz was way too perplexed to tease me about the red tinge bringing life to my cheeks. "I can't just... look away if you're doing something stupid."

Maybe I would have preferred the teasing over his unresponsive behavior. Yeah, I would have rather had a cheeky grin lighting up his face, instead of the lividness washing him out.

"I don't need you moved to another platoon," I attempted to redirect the conversation to a less pathetic outcome, and George didn't seem to oppose. "I just need you to be careful and take care of yourself." Still no response; my heart sunk deeper if that was even possible. "I've lost too many friends already. Can't lose another one."

"How long?"

"What'd you mean?"

"How long have you known?"

"I don't know." I folded my arms and recoiled from the man in front of me, actively avoiding to meet his gaze. "I think... Maybe Normandy. When we regrouped."

Normandy, D-Day plus 3

"Look who decided to show up, Floyd!" Luz and Liebgott went straight to the Sergeant walking a few steps ahead of me and Shifty, ready to compare their trophies and souvenirs.

It wasn't until Talbert folded his newly acquired poncho that the boys became aware of us.

"Well, would you look at that." Lieb smacked George's shoulder with the back of his hand before nodding in my direction.

"Sorry fellas," Floyd feigned an apology. "But I figured I just couldn't show up without our medic. Right, Luz?"

If there was a situation in which George would not match the banter thrown at him, that was the one. Instead, he stood still with widened eyes.

"What? Cat's got your tongue?" I questioned, approaching the group with the sniper trailing after me.

"Oh, she bites now." Lieb snickered. "That's fun."

Still no response from Luz, apart from the shocked expression. I was about to taunt him again when he shoved Tab aside and engulfed me in a hug, one that took me a hot second to reciprocate.

"Where the hell have you been?" He limited himself to ask, breath fanning on the crook of my neck.

"Missed the DZ by four miles." My explanation sounded restrained due to the tight embrace. "Took a while to walk 'em."

"Thought you didn't make it." He murmured, this time only for me to hear. "If you scare me like that again I'll kill ya."

Peeking over his shoulder, I caught the knowing eyes of our comrades. Either Luz was unaware or didn't care enough. I myself had other things to focus on, such as the butterflies in my tummy or the scary feeling swelling up my heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Why didn't you tell me?" His question hid something I couldn't quite decipher, although the gleam in his eyes could be worked out as a clue.

I shrugged, trying to play off the conversation I had been avoiding for months due to fear. "Why would I?"

He shrugged too, and, after opening his mouth a couple of times without getting a word out, I assume he was at a loss for words.

"I feel like we went off the topic here." I stated, once more trying to redirect the conversation, and once more failing to do so.

"Did you mean it?"

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I inhaled deeply. George Luz really had a gift for driving me mad. "Can we move on from that? 'Cause at this point we're dragging the conversation and I'm-"

"You should've told me earlier."

I finally met his eyes with an exasperated look.

"Would that change anything?"

"I could've done something about it."

"Like what?"

He hesitated for a moment, darting a quick glance at my lips I nearly didn't catch before closing the space between us, his hands cupping my cheeks with a featherlight touch.

Just like in Normandy, it took me a moment to react; only that this time I wasn't fast enough and George slipped away from my grasp and took a step back.

"Where d'you think you're going?" I snapped, once again clutching his coat, this time for a very different purpose than minutes ago.

As my mouth found his again, deepening the kiss with my fingers entangled in his unusually long locks and the sides of my coat bunched up in his fists, I wondered if I had really found out I loved him in Normandy.

All from sudden, the feeling that I had known it from the very first corny pick-up line he had thrown at me back in Toccoa washed over me.

Either by the long awaited kiss or by the overwhelming emotions, it was my turn to pull away in order to catch my breath.

"Could've saved me a lot of teasing, y'know?" He mumbled, letting his forehead rest on mine for an instant. "Having everyone and their mother poking fun at me was pretty embarrassing."

"You really are an idiot."

That tore a quiet laugh out of him. A genuine one. It seemed to be so long since that had happened.

"I love you too, by the way."

"Oh, I think I got the memo."

Another laugh. His stupid grin. His cheeky demeanor. All of it made him lit up a little bit. My thumb caressed his face, and it occurred to me that maybe what George Luz really needed was to feel loved.

Lucky him, I wouldn't be going anywhere any time soon.